View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
May 1, 2006updated 22 Nov 2022 7:32pm

‘A serious paparazzi harassment complaint is only a matter of time’

By Press Gazette

Press Complaints Commission chairman Sir Christopher Meyer has issued a robust defence of the PCC's ability to deal with privacy complaints.

Speaking as the PCC published its 15th annual report, Meyer pointed out that the watchdog dealt with 228 privacy complaints of which 119 were found to possibly breach the code and 97 were resolved.

He said this compares to just a handful of privacy cases going through the courts and contradicts predictions that the Human Rights Act, passed eight years ago, would render the PCC obselete by providing a legal right to privacy.

Of these complaints, some 2.7 per cent involved people in the public eye.

Most — 54 per cent — involved the regional press, compared with 31.2 per cent for the nationals.

Meyer said: "On the record so far, and especially because we have the power to stop harassment in its tracks, the PCC continues to have the advantage over the courts of offering clearer guidance as to where the boundaries lie in newsgathering; and swifter action where those boundaries are transgressed.

"This is why, under the broad heading of privacy, we received last year very few formal complaints of harassment."

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

Meyer said he had heard "alarming stories about the paparazzi in pursuit of their prey", but added that the PCC had yet to deal with a serious allegation stemming from a photo in a British publication.

But he added: "It will probably be only a matter of time before the commission is asked to investigate, on the back of a photo published in Britain, a serious complaint of paparazzi harassment that is backed up by video or other evidence.

"If it is, and there is no public interest justification, the industry can be assured that our condemnation will be swift and harsh. It is not right that the physical safety of individuals should be compromised in the pursuit of a photo."

Meyer hit back at Lord Justice Sedley, who recently called for statutory regulation of the press to protect privacy.

He said: "Among the PCC's characteristics are its flexibility and its capacity to adapt swiftly to changed circumstances.

It is hard to see how these qualities could be replicated, either through the law or by an organisation based on statute. For example, our code has been amended over 30 times since the PCC's inception 15 years ago."

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network